"Free Download: Napoleon and the Armies of Mars" Topic

Okay, it's titled "Free Download: Napoleon and the Armies of Mars", but when you get there the .pdf is listed as $9.95 USD?

Am I missing something?

The vehicle design, construction, and infantry organization guides are seperate, free, supplements to the rules.

Ahhh… the title of the advert implies the actual rules are free, and that you might want to also check out the additionally free supplements.

My error – the story was submitted with an incomplete headline, and when I corrected it, I made the error. Headline is now fixed.

Thanks sir! :)

As a supporter of a potential '1745 – Maurice de Saxe on Mars' TMP link I can only be happy to see pre-Victorian SF becoming fashionable!
AB One Games introduces 'Napoleon and the Armies of Mars' while Wessex Games prepares '1812 – Napoleon on Mars': TMP link great minds think alike? The two approaches are obviously quite different, an excellent source of diverse inspiration.

How come this appears in the historical zone of interest? I don't have fantasy or sci-fi in my Zones of Interest, so I shouldn't really be seeing this should I? As far as I'm aware, Napoleon didn't even make it to Moscow, let alone Mars, so who's bright idea was it to create this nonsense?

Great new idea. I wish you the very best of luck Sir.

Huzzah!

Tony

Actually, Pete, Napoleon did reach Moscow. The problem was that Napoleon lingered too long in Moscow and should have left earlier before the onset of winter. He didn't have the supply system needed to maintain the army, with the Russians employing the burnt earth system to deny local supply.

According to the supplements / quasi-'advertising flyers' on free download, the emphasis on huge warwalkers can give a 'Napoleonic Battletech' feel to the game. Totally different from '1812 – Napoleon on Mars' TMP link aiming at playing a 'Wellington in India' type of campaign in a 'Sword & Planet' setting.
Now I wonder why the two projects are set in Napoleonic times. Personal preference of the designers? Or because Napoleonic wargaming is so popular, promising a wide audience? In this case I fear the wrong 'population' was targeted. According to my personal experience in clubs and to the tone on discussion groups and forums, 'Napoleonics' are on the average totally allergic to the slightest departure from 'historical accuracy'. One of the reactions above already supports this 'impression'. Mid-18th C. gamers on the other hand proved to be as a whole a less bigot, more open-minded, more tolerant to 'imagination' bunch. '1745 – Maurice de Saxe on Mars' link would enjoy a less hostile / more friendly reception than '1812 – Napoleon on Mars' -and there were more, and larger, Anglo-French conflicts in India during the SYW than by Napoleonic times. As for 'Napoleon and the Armies of Mars' the problem is different: while '1812 -NoM' respected 'period' warfare and wargaming, just setting them in a more 'exotic' environment, 'NatAoM' is 'steampunk with soldiers in shakos'.

Pete, I hope your eyes were not burned by this obscene blasphemy?
*Some* proud owners of Napoleonic armies can be intrigued, even interested, by the idea, so the post was not out of place in 'Napoleonic' zone of interest. Could have be worse, imagine it was a link to the 'Need more boobies' board

I'm sure a 18th C. conversion supplement would be popular: 'Ben Franklin of Mars', French & Tharkian War' etc. Even a Pirate-era one.Or a Triplanetary Trafalger. Polynesian/Carribean-style Asteroid Belt, Venusian Vivandiers, Chavaux Lagrange Space Cavalry, orbital prison hulks, Cometary Cossacks, The Count of Astra Callisto, Genevan 5, Kentucky Rocket Rifles, Roger Rico's Rangers, Sharpe in Space…..

C'mon! The Uniforms Alone!!! :)…..Puckle Blasters!

As far as I'm aware, Napoleon didn't even make it to Moscow

Wow, that's a courageous statement. If I was that ignorant about a famous event, I think I'd phrase it as "did Napoleon even make it to Moscow?"

YouTube link

How come this appears in the historical zone of interest? I don't have fantasy or sci-fi in my Zones of Interest, so I shouldn't really be seeing this should I? As far as I'm aware, Napoleon didn't even make it to Moscow, let alone Mars, so who's bright idea was it to create this nonsense?

Actually, it's comments like this which have kept me away from Napoleonics for many years, and especially off of the Napoleonics board on this site.

It's a GAME. It looks like it might be fun. It was also probably marketed because it's an interesting idea, and there happens to be all sorts of available minis for this period. If I were to ever consider getting back into Napoleonics, I think it might be with this, because it actually looks like fun, without all the button counting and lace mongering.

I guess (and it is only a guess) that an established Napoleonics player will probably already have some figures that are suitble for this game.

And someone thought that the open minded fun time gamer element amongst the Napoleonic Cadre would be interested in such a rule set as this.

I am with Pete lack of humour or not…it is posted in the wrong board.

…so I shouldn't really be seeing this should I?

You are absolutely correct. TMP shouldn't be exposing your eyes to this horrid travesty. I suggest you hire a blood sucking lawyer to remedy this wrong, but he might ask you to pay up front.

I might point out that the news item is half Napoleonics and half … something else.
I am reminded of the articles that appeared in the glossy Courier in its beginning. Some omodhaun used to write garbage articles about suppressing heresy, square bullets, quizzing prospective newbies to see if they were worthy of playing toy soldiers with you, etc.

Now I wonder why the two projects are set in Napoleonic times

Because the Authors have collections of Napoleonics?

Just like I would set it in the American Revolution, were I to write these rules.

OMG!

This is a true "jumping the shark" moment.

Just like I would set it in the American Revolution, were I to write these rules

So, everyone's keen for my Frederick the great v's Al;exandra the great …..on Venus ! Project?

Actually, that could be really cool…… in some weird "gaming" definition of "cool".

If you can't see the connection with the Naps Board, you are wound way too tight.

Sounds like a David Bowie album from the 70s.

…you are wound way too tight.

I can hear the SPROINNNNGGGGG!!!!! even in the wilds of NEPA.

So, everyone's keen for my Frederick the great v's Al;exandra the great …..on Venus ! Project?

Does it feature Mrs Loring or Betsy Ross in a corset?

That sounds like supplemental material…..

How come this appears in the sci-fi zone of interest? I don't have Napoleonics in my Zones of Interest, so I shouldn't really be seeing this should I? As far as I'm aware, Jal Pattus, Jeddak of Thark, didn't even make it to Helium, let alone Jasoom, so whose bright idea was it to create this nonsense?

Why, yes, I *do* have a stick wedged way up in there, why do you ask?

YouTube link

Glad to see most of us woke up with a sense of humor this morning! The next thing you kno Patton will be having a go at the Klingons!

It is hard enough to imagine a solid logistical/ supply line in the VFS era. The background for pre-VSF is even shakier.
Just my opinion.

I think this period would be worth doing just to see the faces of certain 'Nappie' players… :)

Mick

No – I'd not want to have to give any of them the kiss of life after their heart attacks :)

As always there's a Larry leadhead that says it all. 'Using Gauls as Martians? But that's unhistoric?'

So when do we get a Napoleonic Science Fiction (NSF) board?

I think it's pretty cool. My son asked why Napoleon would want to attack Mars. I said "Because it's there!"

The next thing you kno Patton will be having a go at the Klingons!

Don't give me ideas! I mean, Kirk already took on a French Napoleonic soldier and Lincoln. Now would Patton fight the "shell-head" Klingons or the original Klingons? Who would win in a straight up duel--Patton or Kang? Hmmm…. That's an important question IMO.

Now would Patton fight the "shell-head" Klingons or the original Klingons?

That depends on when he shows up. Before or after that which "…we don't talk about." happened.

A NSF Board sounds great!! Blucher of Barsoom!! Triplanetary written by Tolstoy(I figure 9 times thicker). Cossacks watering their horses from the canals of Mars! Radium case shot! Bushnell's Bird Of Prey! Venusian Swamp Fox!

That would short circuit the Nappy board…LET"S DO IT!!!!!!!!

just in fun tho.

I say again… ' What the….'?

I picked a bad day to stop sniffing glue.

I want hussars on 8-legged mounts now!

It is hard enough to imagine a solid logistical/ supply line in the VFS era. The background for pre-VSF is even shakier.

Indeed, but if it's the only point really worrying you, set the game a little earlier in a 'Lost Continent'. Before the expeditions of Cook and La Perouse enough of the Pacific Ocean was still unexplored
link
TMP link
It would not be impossibly far from India, where the British and French *did* fight a lot during the SYW.

I want hussars on 8-legged mounts now!

Combine (Hussarettes, to boot!):

bucksurdu.com/blog/?p=1392

with:

(Tin Man Miniatures tinminis.com/index.htm )

If you read the background on the rules, it sets the stage for this during Napoleon's foray into Egypt. One of his "scientific party" finds a portal under the Great Pyramid which transports him almost instantly to Mars. Like walking into one door and out the other side.

Sounds like a fun idea to me, and with all the new plastic French available it might be worth the time to do.

I can hear my wallet crying even as I type this. It knows… it knows…..

I think it's a splendid idea. It will certainly be worth looking into of I can ever get motivated to finish my 28mm DBA armies and 15mm Traveller stuff…

I think it's great. Good luck!

So we have StarGate-Old Guard…..that'll work. You can fit horses, wagons and cannon through it.

Hussars on Hortas crying HuzzaH!!…somebody please shoot me, I can't STOP!!

Uh-ho, I spotted my Osprey Napoleonic books…

Someone please write an article about this for our 'Darker Horizons' section of 'Miniature Wargames'. Can't wait to read 'Sharpe's Barssom' in which Princess Dejah Thoris and Major Sharpe… (TURN TO PAGE 67)

ROTFLMAO

Not to rain on your parade, but *this* Mars (contrary to '1812 – Napoleon on Mars') is NOT Barsoom: the only 8-legged creatures are giant spiders, and the rules don't allow to ride them. Now, each of us has his own prejudices, and the Brutes Mutantes -'centaurs' combining a spider [exoskeleton] body with a human(oid) [endoskeleton] torso are beyond the limits of my 'willing suspension of disbelief; but I suppose cavalry riding giant spiders could be treated as the Brutes Mutantes under the rules.
Yet potential suitors of Dejah Thoris have better to search elsewhere.

This is a true "jumping the shark" moment.

"Jumping the shark" is mainly in the proposal of a 'Napoleonic' warfare without cavalry and artillery, where a player can dispense with infantry and field of force exclusively composed with battlemechs. More extreme than even Rommel in Libya!
The general idea looks more attractive than the precise setting.